Downtown Louisville - A Balance Between Old and New

Downtown Louisville is not only one of the busiest parts of our city - it is the oldest portion of it! That’s right… contrary to popular belief Downtown Louisville is actually older than Old Louisville by about a century.

The initial development of downtown was due to the Falls of the Ohio. People and goods traveled down the Ohio River, which was the main means of travel before roads were built, and had to bypass the Falls on land. The first cobblestone paths ran only east to west and included Main, Market, Jefferson and Green Streets, which is now Liberty Street. Many initial residents had wooden shanty structures nearby until more development was possible and Main Street took the role as Louisville's commercial hub.

Growth seemed slow at first, but by 1830 Louisville had surpassed Lexington as Kentucky's largest city. Ironically, the population was just over 10,000 at that time and most of it was tightly packed downtown due to the convenience of steamboat travel. Times have really changed and looking at Downtown Louisville now, one might be surprised at its humble beginning. Residents still get an amazing view of the Ohio River, but now our roads conveniently lead to anywhere in the city and across the river to Indiana.

The hustle and bustle of downtown's business and entertainment district is balanced out by new condominiums, loft-style apartments, and beautiful green spaces. Between 2005 and 2010, the availability of downtown residential units increased from 1,800 to 4,000. This was greatly due to renovation and redevelopment efforts on existing historical properties like the Henry Clay building, and on new construction. Downtown Louisville provides a flourishing entertainment district, modern architecture and that unforgettable view of a sun rise over the river.